


In the Bleak Midwinter

by SonOfOrpheus



Category: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-14 16:58:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3418454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonOfOrpheus/pseuds/SonOfOrpheus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jonathan Halliwell and the brothers of Theta Sigma Xi engage in a little winter hijinks while their campus is in the grips of a winter storm</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Bleak Midwinter

The winter wind whipped across the mountainside, all classes had been called off that day and most of the students in the mountainous college town had retreated indoors to hide from the sub-zero temperatures. 

A solitary figure trudged his way up the hill, his backpack loaded with supplies and snacks purchased from the campus market to weather the storm with, a black and gold scarf was wound tightly about his head, with a multi-colored beanie adorning the top of his head. A silvery-gray pea-coat ruffled in the breeze as a new layer of snow was blown into him, and his black jeans were just about as snow-crusted as his rugged boots. Checking to see if anyone was around, and satisfied that he was unseen, the figure turned on his heel and vanished with a loud *CRACK*...

A trio of Theta Sigma Xi brothers watched the storm grow in ferocity outside their window, the university apartment was small but comfortable, a kitchen was separated from the common area by a small counter, doubling as the dining table. Two armchairs and a well-worn couch adorned the common space, with a strand of white Christmas lights providing soft light and decoration. Various posters and flags of their fraternity covered the walls. Glimmer, the youngest of the trio stirred his coffee uneasily, his golden eyes nearly glowing with concern, “where is he? He was just going to the market... right?”

“Halliwell should have been back by now...” Flash, the middle of the three noted his Olympian heritage shone through in his features, a square jawline and rugged good looks were framed by his ruffled golden hair. Blue eyes that shone like the sky in summertime looked out over the winter wasteland that currently was their campus. 

Talbot looked annoyed as he surveyed the other two, he was by far the eldest of the group at 22 and was known for his acidic wit and sarcastic sense of humor. His short stature belied a powerful skill as a duelist and musician, his short cut blond hair was set in eternally messy curls, and blue-gray eyes pierced those they fell upon behind square framed glasses. “you bitches worry too much,” he scoffed, pouring himself another mug of coffee. He was one of Halliwell's closest friends and knew that it was just a matter of time before...

*CRACK* 

Halliwell spun into existence and shook off the thin layer of snow he had gathered on his journey, “It's cold enough to freeze the balls of a frost giant out there” he shivered, in response the trio of brothers aimed wands at him and sent jets of hot air whirling about him, melting the snow, warming him up, and drying his clothes in one go.

“Thanks, boys” he grinned, clicking his fingers and summoning a mug to his hand, he gestured to the groceries and supplies laid out on the table “think this will keep us alive til mother nature warms up a bit?”

“it's supposed to keep on like this for most of the weekend” Flash sighed, glancing at the weather report on his laptop, “and the school's climate control spells haven't been working right since it started snowing back in August... so I think we're gonna have to ride it out, hurricane force winds and all...”

The mention of a hurricane seemed to trigger a thought in Halliwell's mind, as a wide grin spread across his features, his eyes dancing with wicked glee.

“oh no... you've got the face on, the “I have an insane idea face” Talbot shuddered, “I still have nightmares about that face!”

“You still have nightmares about the time his mother turned your mother into an emu at parents weekend...” Flash laughed, “though I admit, Lady Halliwell is kinda scary when you pour and entire pitcher of butterbeer down her shirt.”

Ignoring Talbot's argument that his mother was not at fault for the incident, Halliwell darted into his room and returned with a heavy leather-bound book, his grin growing all the wider as he flipped to a page decorated with various poses and diagrams of elemental manipulation tactics “my mom told me about the time she saved a whole island from a hurricane... how much harder could it be to stop a snowstorm around a little college town?”

“Considering the fact that your mother is some sort of a superhuman prodigy, and you have only recently started your water manipulation courses, VERY difficult!” Talbot scoffed, 

“oh ye of little faith” Halliwell chuckled, “you know that I'm just as powerful as her, if not more so from my natural talents and youthful charm!” he stated dramatically, posing with one foot on the arm of the chair Talbot was currently scowling at him from, “I'll take this nasty storm and send it back to Siberia where it belongs” he declared, raising his hands in a triumphant gesture that earned a round of cheers and excited laughter from the brothers (even Talbot cracked a smile at his bravado.)

A mere hour later, the plan had been formed, Halliwell would use his mother's hurricane calming technique to dissipate the winter storm, and relieve the plight of the campus. The quartet of mages laughed merrily as they made their way to the highest point on campus, the bell tower. 

The edifice that stood before them was a bit of a misnomer, as there was no actual bell to be found in the great monolith, rather a set of speakers that piped out a merry tune across the campus at designated hours. It's actual purpose was as an outlet for the steam plant that provided much of the campus' heat and electricity. Halliwell used his abilities to defy gravity and proudly strode to the top of the structure, as he went his attire swirled and changed to his Halloween-town garb, with an ebony cape billowing behind him to shield from the cold.

“Hurry up will ya?” Talbot called up, “it's still cold as balls down here!” earning a bolt of blue flame in response from Halliwell, who laughed at Talbot's cries of dismay and surprise. 

Taking his stance, Jonathan readied himself for the task at hand, focusing in he found himself connecting with the energy of the storm, the cold no longer bothered him, and he could feel the pulsing rhythm of the storm flowing through each flake...

The brothers watched in surprise as a blue aura slowly covered their ally, and began to flow downward into the bell tower. 

Jonathan began to move in graceful arcs, asserting his power over the storm, and bringing more and more of the polar vortex under his command. The elements of air, water, and ice were now dancing to his every whim, faster and faster he whirled, the blue glow spreading among the clouds until the entire sky was pulsing with light. A column of air formed beneath his feet and lifted him skyward, to the point that the brothers on the ground could no longer see him. Sensing the moment had come he thrust his arms out and howled “DISPERSE”.

What sounded like a cannon-blast echoed through the campus as every inch of snow and ice suddenly exploded skyward in one frigid wave, and formed what resembled the eye of a hurricane over the town. Jonathan remained suspended in the air, his eyes glowing a brilliant blue, hands held outward like a puppeteer controlling unseen strings.

“unbelievable... it WORKED!” Talbot gasped, looking at the grounds around him, now green and devoid of any trace of ice.

No sooner had Talbot made this observation than something rather unfortunate happened: Jonathan's eyes stopped glowing abruptly, his shock over his initial success had caused him to lose his grasp on the spell. The brothers noticed this, and heard an exclamation from their friend in the sky that maid their hearts drop to the soles of their feet... 

“uh-oh”

What happened next looked to be straight out of a Hollywood disaster film, as every inch of ice and snow that had so quickly been dispersed came hurtling back towards it's original location. The trio turned to run, but it was already far too late...

*WHAP*

A solid foot and a half of slush blanketed the campus in one move, knocking the brothers to the ground, and imprinting Jonathan to the side of the bell tower like a dismayed Christmas decoration. The winds renewed their assault on the grounds with a vengeance, ripping Halliwell's cape free and sending it spiraling away into the night like a great gossamer bat. His stunned form slid down the frozen edifice for a few feet before peeling free and plummeting into a newly formed snow drift.

The brothers dug themselves free, ignoring the angry swears of Talbot, and made their way to Halliwell's crash site. The stunned half-life was still lying spread-eagle in the snow, his head turned a full 180 degrees from the fall, arms and legs splayed out like the beginnings of a morbid snow-angel. 

“Well, that didn't work out like I planned,” he wheezed, turning his head back to normal with a sickening pop that made the brother's shudder.

“Maybe you should leave the nature control to the true ice queen” Talbot smirked with a wink, and ducked just in time to avoid a minivan sized snowball launched by Halliwell. 

The four began to laugh as Halliwell pursued Talbot back to their apartment, both launching explosions of snow at the other in a friendly duel, with the other brothers following close behind.


End file.
